True Names: Vergil and the Alexandrian Tradition of Etymological WordplayIn ancient thinking about etymology, knowledge of a term's origin meant knowledge of the essential qualities of the person, place, or thing it named. While scholars have long noted Vergil's allusions to etymologies, interest in such wordplay has grown rapidly in recent years and lies at the heart of contemporary scholarship's growing concern with the learned aspects and Alexandrian background of Vergilian poetry. In his new book, James O'Hara has produced a richly annotated, comprehensive collection of examples of etymological wordplay in the Aeneid, Eclogues, and Georgics. An extensive introduction on the etymologizing of Vergil and his poetic forerunners places the poet in historical context and analyzes the form and style of his wordplay. O'Hara also discusses how etymologizing served Vergil's poetic goals, and he explains how the role of word origins in Vergil's poems illuminates the origins and essential characteristics of the Roman people. The etymological catalog quotes each Vergilian passage, then explains the wordplay or possible wordplay, and refers to ancient grammarians and poets who mention similar etymologies. While bibliographical references are provided for most examples, many entries describe examples of wordplay never before noticed. Throughout the catalog, extensive cross-references direct the reader and render consultation easy. |
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Page 65
... epithet glosses , and even though they occur in a section of A. 3 containing many glosses of geographical names . I draw particular attention to single - epithet glosses in part for conve- nience , in part because they do seem to be a ...
... epithet glosses , and even though they occur in a section of A. 3 containing many glosses of geographical names . I draw particular attention to single - epithet glosses in part for conve- nience , in part because they do seem to be a ...
Page 95
... epithet suggests both curae and the arrows of Cupid ( both ȧkides ) . This epithet recalls two models , in different ways , and is the subject of later learned commentary by Ovid , which will be discussed below.353 One model is the ...
... epithet suggests both curae and the arrows of Cupid ( both ȧkides ) . This epithet recalls two models , in different ways , and is the subject of later learned commentary by Ovid , which will be discussed below.353 One model is the ...
Page 154
... epithet gloss cf. intro . 2.2 . Crutwell suggests that Vergil alludes “ also to the Roman slang name of Durus for ... epithet claro . The phrase claro ... Olympo represents Homeric αἰγλήεντος Ὀλύμπου ; some may feel that the Homeric ...
... epithet gloss cf. intro . 2.2 . Crutwell suggests that Vergil alludes “ also to the Roman slang name of Durus for ... epithet claro . The phrase claro ... Olympo represents Homeric αἰγλήεντος Ὀλύμπου ; some may feel that the Homeric ...
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Etymological Thinking and Wordplay before Vergil | 7 |
Typical Features of Vergilian Etymological Wordplay | 57 |
Copyright | |
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adjective Aeneas Aeneid Aeschylus aetiology Alba Alexandrian alii alludes allusion amor ancient Apoll Apollonius argues association atque Auct autem Bartelink 1965 called Callim Callimachus catalogue Cerda changed cites cognomine connection cura derivation described dicitur dicta dictus dicunt Dido discussion earlier epithet etiam etymological wordplay examples explains explicit Fordyce framing gloss Graece Greek Homeric Hymn important intro involving ISID Italy Latin learned lines linked Lucretius Maltby meaning mentioned nomen nomine notes nunc O'Hara offers origins Ovid Ovid cf passage perhaps phrase play poetic poetry poets possible present probably provides quae quam quia quod quoted reference Roman Ross says seems SERV Servius signpost sources suggests sunt suppressed Thomas tradition Varro Venus verb Vergil Vergilian word γὰρ δὲ καὶ τε